Hostname: page-component-76d6cb85b7-lrvh5 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-07-19T10:39:09.254Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Biochemical and haematological changes associated with short periods of work in draught oxen

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

R. Anne Pearson  and
R. F. Archibald
R. Anne Pearson
Affiliation:
Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG
R. F. Archibald
Affiliation:
Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG
Get access

Abstract

Blood samples were taken from three Brahman × Friesian cattle while they walked for 1 h daily on a treadmill pulling 20 or 25 kg weights suspended in a cage. Heart rate and energy expenditure during work were closely correlated. The work had no significant effect on blood levels of red cells, haemoglobin, packed cell volume, total protein, albumin, glycerol, urea, Mg, Ca, Na, K and chloride. White blood cells, glucose, lactate, free fatty acids, P-hydroxybutyrate and inorganic phosphate were affected by work although the changes were shortlived and values had returned to resting levels 75 min after work finished. The changes were similar in each animal and indicated work done by draught cattle is largely at a submaximal level. Apart from lactate no blood parameters were identified that could be usefully used to compare performance.

Information

Type
Papers
Information
Animal Production , Volume 48 , Issue 2 , April 1989 , pp. 375 - 384
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1989

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

REFERENCES

Acharya, S., Mishra, M. and Nayak, J. B. 1979. Working capacity and behaviour of crossbred versus non-descript indigenous bullocks under Orissa conditions. Indian Journal of Dairy Science 32: 37–42.Google Scholar
Agarwal, S. P., Singh, N., Agarwal, V. K. and Dwaraknath, P. K. 1982. Effect of exercise on serum electrolytes and their interrelationship in entire, castrated and vasectomised male buffaloes. Indian Veterinary Journal 59: 181–184.Google Scholar
Barton, D. 1987. Draught power supply, nutrition, and the work output of draught animals in Bangladesh. Report prepared for the Ford Foundation, Dhaka and FSRDP, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh.Google Scholar
Bird, A. R., Chandler, K. D. and Bell, A. W. 1981. Effects of exercise and plane of nutrition on nutrient utilization by the hind limb of the sheep. Australian Journal of Biological Sciences 34: 541–550.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Codazza, D., Maffeo, G. and Redaelli, G. 1974. Serum enzyme changes and haemato-chemical levels in thoroughbreds after transport and exercise. Journal of the South African Veterinary Association 45: 331–334.Google Scholar
Dryendahl, S. and Bengtsson, G. 1982. Performance testing of draught horses: initiatives and experience of the North Swedish Horse Asociation (NSHA). Paper presented to FAO Expert Consultation on Appropriate Use of Animal Energy in Agriculture in Africa and in Asia, Rome.Google Scholar
Eldridge, F. L. 1975. Relationship between turnover rate and blood concentration of lactate in exercising dogs. Journal of Applied Physiology 39: 231–234.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Garrey, W. E. and Butler, V. 1929. Physiological leucocytosis. American Journal of Physiology 90: 355–356.Google Scholar
Georgie, G. C., Sastry, N. S. R. and Razdan, M. N. 1970. Studies on the work performance of cross-bred cattle. II. Some physical and chemical responses of blood of brown Swiss-sahiwal (F,) and sahiwal bullocks o t exercise during different seasons. Indian Journal of Animal Production 1: 115–119.Google Scholar
Hays, F. L., Bianca, W. and Naf, F. 1978. Effects of exercise in young and adult cattle at low and high altitude. International Journal of Biometerology 22: 147–158.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Knox, D. P., McKelvey, W. A. C. and Jones, D. G. 1988. Blood biochemical reference values for farmed red deer. Veterinary Record 122: 109–112.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lawrence, P. R. 1985. A review of the nutrient requirements of draught oxen. In Draught Animal Power for Production (ed. Copland, J. W.), ACIAR Proceedings Series No. 10, pp. 59–63. ACIAR, Australia.Google Scholar
Nangia, O. P., Rana, R. D., Singh, N. and Ahmad, A. 1978. A note on draught capacity in castrated and entire male buffaloes as reflected in some blood constituents. Animal Production 27: 237–240.Google Scholar
Pethick, D. W. 1984. Energy metabolism in skeletal muscle. In Ruminant Physiology: Concepts and Consequences (ed. Baker, S. K., Gawthorne, J. M., MacKintosh, J. B. and Purser, D. B.), pp. 277–287. University of Western Australia, Perth.Google Scholar
Pethick, D. W., Harman, N. and Chong, J. K. 1987. Non-esterified long-chain fatty acid metabolism in fed sheep at rest and during exercise. Australian Journal of Biological Science 40: 221–234.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Richards, J. I. and Lawrence, P. R. 1984. The estimation of energy expenditure from heart rate measurements in working oxen and buffalo. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 102: 711–717.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Singh, S. P., Soni, B. K. and Bhattacharya, N. K. 1968. Haematological changes evoked by exercise in working bullocks. Indian Veterinary Journal 45: 212–216.Google ScholarPubMed
SNOW, D. H., PERSSON, S. G. B. and ROSE, R. J. eds. 1983. Equine Exercise Physiology. Proceedings of the First International Conference, Oxford, 1982. Granta, Cambridge.Google Scholar
Thomas, C. K. and Pearson, R. A. 1986. Effects of ambient temperature and head cooling on energy expenditure, food intake and heat tolerance of Brahman and Brahman × Friesian cattle working on treadmills. Animal Production 43: 83–90.Google Scholar
Upadhyay, R. C. and Madan, M. L. 1985. Studies on blood acid-base status and muscle metabolism in working bullocks. Animal Production 40: 11–16.Google Scholar
Zivin, J. A. and Snarr, J. F. 1973. An automated colorimetric method for the measurement of 3-hydroxybutyrate concentration. Analytical Biochemistry 52: 456–461.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed